Earliest meeting: Wednesday 15th April 1846
Final meeting: Wednesday 15th April 1846
The Wirral village of Oxton, a name meaning a town where Oxen are kept, is located 3 miles from Birkenhead and held racing on Wednesday 15th April 1846. Given its close proximity to Liverpool and the wealthy shipping magnates, merchants and traders of the day, Oxton Village was a desirable place for the wealthy to build or buy residences. It is not surprising therefore that racing was popular in, or near, the village. The nearby estate was owned by the Earl of Shrewsbury, and the local public house in Claughton Firs was called the Shrewsbury Arms. The course was situated on the outskirts of the village, on Mr Jackson’s Noctorum course, on Oxton Common. The match between Mr Soloman’s Perfection and Mr Tennant’s Kate Kearney was run on a 4 mile course, twice round, consisting of 23 fences in all, including 6 walls and two flights wiith rails. Perfection was made the strong favourite, but at the first wall he baulked and handed the initiative to Kate who made the early running. However, once Perfection took it up after a mile the contest was never in doubt and he came home first, winning by 200 yards. |
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727 |
